My friend Beth, the Sandwich Queen!

My friend Beth, who blogs over at This American Wife, has been a lifesaver over the past few weeks on the recipe front. I have been feeling anything but motivated recently when it comes to menu planning, and she passed along some awesome, easy, and delicious recipes. She had a post recently about Yummy Summer Eats, and she said they were delicious so I had to give them a try.

The first night, marinated a pork tenderloin in a Maple Garlic Glaze.

Pork Tenderloin with Maple Garlic Glaze

(via AllRecipes.com)

2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

1. Combine mustard, sesame oil, garlic, pepper and maple syrup. Place pork in a shallow dish and coat thoroughly with marinade. Cover, then chill in the refrigerator at least eight hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sear tenderloin on all sides in a large, oven-safe skillet. Pour marinade over pork and transfer skillet to oven. Roast for 20 minutes or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees.

The second night, I made Pork Tortas using the left over tenderloin. DELICIOUS! They were so easy and so good!

Pork Tortas

(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)
1/2 the Maple Garlic Glazed Pork Tenderloin, sliced thinly
1 (12 oz) baguette, cut in half horizontally
3/4 cup canned pinto beans
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa ( I like Muir Glen Garlic Cilantro)
4 slices Swiss Cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
Garlic Aioli (see recipe below)

1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 3/4-inch-thick shell. Place bread halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Place beans and salsa in a small bowl; mash with a fork until almost smooth. Spoon bean mixture into the bottom half of baguette. Top with pork and cheese. Place sandwich bottoms back under broiler to melt cheese.

3. Spread garlic aioli on the top half of baguette. Top sandwiches with onion, tomato, jalapeno, avocado and top half of baguette. Cut into 4 pieces. Yield: 4 servings)

Garlic Aioli
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, mashed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients well in a small bowl.

(Sorry I don't have a better photo!)

Nuevo Cubano Sandwiches

(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)

Ingredients

4 (3-ounce) whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham
1 peeled mango, thinly sliced
1/4 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Preparation
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.

2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a medium bowl; mash with a fork or potato masher until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango, and Swiss cheese; replace top halves of rolls.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.

Thanks, Beth, for the great recipes! You're a lifesaver!